Means of keeping a disabled child&#39;s head upright

ABSTRACT

I have invented a means for keeping an occupant&#39;s head upright in a child safety seat or wheelchair. 
     The invention comprises either a child safety seat or wheelchair with a backrest and a headrest with either loop or hook attachment media attached to the area of the headrest that contacts the back of the occupant&#39;s head (or, alternatively, in the head area of the backrest, with the headrest being omitted), with mating media attached to the backside of a cap to be worn on the head of the occupant. The occupant&#39;s head is held up by the mating of the attachment media between the cap and headrest or backrest. The purpose of this configuration is to prevent the occupant&#39;s head from tipping forward or to either side. When used in conjunction with a child safety seat, an additional purpose is to reduce injury values, such as HIC (Head Injury Criteria), neck injury, and Chest G values associated with the US Code Title 49, Part 571, FMVSS 213 performance requirements. 
     In addition, the present invention is applicable to children and adults in other types of durable medical equipment such as standers and walkers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to preventing an occupant's head from tipping forward while traveling in a child safety seat or wheelchair.

2. Description of the Background of the Invention

There is a rather large, and growing, population of disabled children that are unable to maintain head control. This usually results in their head tipping forward into an uncomfortable position when seated in an upright, or even a semi-reclined, position. This lack of head control is problematic for these children during vehicular transport in child safety seats and during general use of their wheelchairs, causing discomfort, and in some cases, breathing difficulty.

Child Safety Seat Version

Currently, children with disabilities weighing 40 lbs. or less can usually be safely transported in vehicles using reclined conventional child safety seats, which are widely available since they are designed for able bodied children. However, after outgrowing these products, disabled children still require child safety seats with a full harness in order to compensate for their lack of trunk control. Most of these children are transported in large medical (full harness) child safety seats, which are capable of restraining larger and heavier children. Unfortunately, none of the large medical child safety seats currently available on the market offer significant recline. The result is that many of these children have trouble keeping their heads upright, causing discomfort and in some cases obstructed breathing. This situation is even more problematic for children with tracheostomies (An air tube which penetrates the neck), who are much more likely to experience airway obstruction in the event that their heads are allowed to tip forward.

In an attempt to remedy this problem, some parents and pediatric therapists have resorted to such remedies as neck collars and towels to help in supporting the child's head. However, soft neck collars and towels are too soft to hold the head up properly and crash testing has revealed that “stiff” neck collars result in elevated loading on the occupant's neck, which can result in damage to the vertebrae or spinal chord. In any event, none of the large medical child safety seat manufacturers approve the use of towels or neck collars to support the head during vehicle transport.

The Traveller Plus by Snug Seat does offer a “recline bar” with its large medical child safety seat. However, it does not provide adequate recline according to interviews with dozens of therapists and monitoring of communications on the two largest list serves for medical professionals that work with these children.

Unfortunately, even if large medical child safety seats were designed with additional recline, the amount of leg room available to the occupant would be diminished by a corresponding amount. This is of particular concern for larger children in smaller vehicles and buses (which have closely spaced seats).

Wheelchair Version

The children described above have the same head control problems during general (both in and out of motor vehicles) use of their wheelchairs. This problem is often solved in wheelchairs by increasing recline. This solution is more practical in wheelchairs (compared to child safety seats) since leg room is generally not restricted as it is in a child safety seat. However, the present invention does allow wheelchair occupants to keep their heads upright without having to be reclined; which improves quality of life and allows the occupant improved interaction with people and the environment. Finally, during vehicular transport in a wheelchair, the present invention allows the child to sit upright without allowing the head to “flop” forward. This is very important since the vehicle's seat belt, which is used to restrain wheelchair occupants in motor vehicles, is designed for occupants in the upright position. Therefore, the present invention will improve safety by allowing the occupant to remain upright, which is the position that the seat belt was designed for.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the previously mentioned problems and to specifically provide a method for restraining the occupant's head in a child safety seat with out diminishing leg room. For wheelchairs, it improves safety during vehicular transport and improves quality of life during general use of a wheelchair by allowing the occupant to sit upright without causing his head to flop forward.

Child Safety Seat Version

In its broadest form, the invention is a child safety seat, for use in a vehicle, with loop/hook attachment media connected to its backrest. The mating partner of this attachment media is sewn on the back of a cap to be worn by the occupant of the child safety seat. The attachment media on the head portion of the backrest of the child safety seat may alternately be attached to a headrest that is attached securely to the backrest of the child safety seat.

Therefore, this invention will provide a remedy for preventing the occupant's head from tipping forward.

In addition, crash testing has revealed that the invention is also capable of reducing HIC and Chest G values associated with the US Code Title 49, Part 571, FMVSS 213 performance requirements. Therefore the invention serves two purposes: keeping the child's head up and reducing risk of injury, by absorbing energy as the mating surfaces of the hook and loop (or similar media) media separate from each other.

Wheelchair Version

In its broadest form, the invention is a wheelchair, which may or may not be used in a vehicle, with loop/hook attachment media connected to its backrest. The mating partner of this attachment media is sewn on the back of a cap to be worn by the occupant of the wheelchair. The attachment media on the head portion of the backrest of the wheelchair may alternately be attached to a headrest that is attached securely to the backrest of the wheelchair.

Therefore, this invention will provide a remedy for preventing the occupant's head from tipping forward.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Though it should be realized that the present invention should not be confined or restricted to the precise details of the described embodiments, a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a part perspective view of the front of a headrest having a “loop” attachment media attached to its front side.

FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of an occupant wearing a cap with its back side covered in hook attachment media.

FIG. 3 depicts a front view of a child safety with the headrest in FIG. 1 attached to its backrest.

FIG. 4 depicts a front view of a child safety seat with an occupant installed in it wearing the cap in FIG. 2 with the back of it attached to the attachment media on the headrest.

FIG. 5 depicts a part perspective view of the occupant in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 depicts a front view of a child safety seat with “loop” attachment media attached in the area where the back of the occupant's head contacts the backrest.

FIG. 7 depicts a front view of a child safety seat with an occupant installed in the seat wearing the cap in FIG. 2 with the back of it attached to the attachment media on the backrest of the child safety seat.

FIG. 8 depicts a front view of a wheelchair with the headrest in FIG. 1 attached.

FIG. 9 depicts a front view of a wheelchair with an occupant installed in it wearing the cap in FIG. 2 with the back of it attached to the attachment media on the headrest.

FIG. 10 depicts a front view of a wheelchair with “loop” attachment media attached in the area where the back of the occupant's head contacts the backrest.

FIG. 11 depicts a front view of a wheelchair with an occupant installed in it wearing the cap in FIG. 2 with the back of it attached to the attachment media on the backrest of the wheelchair.

FIG. 12 depicts a part perspective view of the occupant in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Child Safety Seat Version

With reference to the Figures, a child safety seat 30 for use in a vehicle is generally shown and includes a backrest 32.

In the preferred embodiment, the headrest 10 with loop attachment media 12 is securely attached to the child safety seat 30 (FIG. 3). A cap 20 with hook attachment media 22 attached to the backside of the cap 20 is placed on the head of an occupant 40. The occupant 40 is then installed in the child safety seat 30 with his or her head placed against the headrest 10 allowing the attachment media 12 and 22 to mate (FIG. 4).

In an alternative embodiment, the backrest 32 of the child safety seat 30 is covered with loop attachment media 34 (FIG. 6). A cap 20 with hook attachment media 22 attached to the backside of the cap 20 is placed on the head of an occupant 40. The occupant 40 is then installed in the child safety seat 30 with his or her head placed against the backrest 32 allowing the attachment media 12 and 34 to mate (FIG. 7).

Both arrangements result in the occupant's head being maintained in an upright position while sitting in the child safety seat. In the preferred embodiment, it is important that the headrest be securely attached to the child safety seat.

Wheelchair Version

With reference to the Figures, a wheelchair 50 is generally shown and includes a backrest 52.

In the preferred embodiment, the headrest 10 with loop attachment media 12 is securely attached to the wheelchair 50 (FIG. 8). A cap 20 with hook attachment media 22 attached to the backside of the cap 20 is placed on the head of an occupant 40 (FIG. 2). The occupant 40 is then installed in the wheelchair 50 with his or her head placed against the headrest 10 allowing the attachment media 12 and 22 to mate (FIG. 9).

In an alternative embodiment, the backrest 52 of the wheelchair (50) is covered with loop attachment media 54 (FIG. 10). A cap 20 with hook attachment media 22 attached to the backside of the cap 20 is placed on the head of an occupant 40 (FIG. 2). The occupant 40 is then installed in the wheelchair 50 with his or her head placed against the backrest 52 allowing the attachment media 54 and 22 to mate (FIG. 11).

Both arrangements result in the occupant's head being maintained in an upright position while sitting in the wheelchair. In the preferred embodiment, it is important that the headrest be securely attached to the wheelchair.

The cap 20 can be any head piece that fits snugly around the head. Examples include a winter hat, visored cap, etc. 

1. A method for keeping an occupant's head upright in a child safety seat, said child safety seat including a backrest, a headrest with loop/hook attachment media attached to the area of said headrest that contacts the back of said occupant's head, a cap worn by said occupant with loop/hook attachment media located on the backside of said cap, said method comprising: placing said cap on said occupant's head; attaching said headrest to said backrest of said child safety seat; placing said occupant's head against said headrest allowing said attachment media to mate.
 2. A method for keeping an occupant's head upright in a child safety seat, said child safety seat including a backrest with loop/hook attachment media attached to the area of said backrest that contacts the back of said occupant's head, a cap worn by said occupant with loop/hook attachment media located on the backside of said cap, said method comprising: placing said cap on said occupant's head; placing said occupant's head against said backrest allowing said attachment media to mate.
 3. A method for keeping an occupant's head upright in a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a backrest, a headrest with loop/hook attachment media attached to the area of said headrest that contacts the back of said occupant's head, a cap worn by said occupant with loop/hook attachment media located on the backside of said cap, said method comprising: placing said cap on said occupant's head; attaching said headrest to said backrest of said wheelchair; placing said occupant's head against said headrest allowing said attachment media to mate.
 4. A method for keeping an occupant's head upright in a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a backrest with loop/hook attachment media attached to the area of said backrest that contacts the back of said occupant's head, a cap worn by said occupant with loop/hook attachment media located on the backside of said cap, said method comprising: placing said cap on said occupant's head; placing said occupant's head against said backrest allowing said attachment media to mate. 